I’ve been working with God Complex Radio for over four years, and the readings and conversations never cease to nurture me in my preaching and writing. The guests are amazing. Although I’m regularly told that our conversations make long commutes and housework drudgery bearable, Derrick, Rob and I have wanted to see these interviews used in other contexts as well. We imagined that people could use the conversations in a Sunday school classroom (I’ve used them there). Or, people could gather on Facebook or Google Hangout to discuss them.

So we were excited that Isabella Blanchard, at Virginia Theological Seminary’s Center for the Ministry of Teaching, worked to develop a series of Study Guides for several God Complex Radio episodes. She highlighted many of our favorite conversations and made the guides available as downloadable PDFs here. Isabella includes information on the guest, a description of suggested learners, an outline of the interview, and additional reflection questions. She developed guides for our interviews with

Join Carol and Derrick as they are talking to D. Mark Davis author of “Left Behind and Loving It: A Cheeky Look At the End Times.” This podcast interview was recorded just days after the Boston Marathon Bombing. Reflections on how we process tragic events are interwoven with a unique perspective on end times theology.

Click on the link below to download or listen using the player below:

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Join Derrick Weston and guest co-host Anna Woofenden as they speak with Mark Linsenmayer. Mark is the founder and co-host of The Partially Examined Life philosophy podcast and blog. He is a writer and musician who attended graduate school in philosophy at the University of Texas in the 90′s but quit academia for several years before coming back to re-explore classic philosophy texts through the podcast. His areas of specialty in his graduate work were in continental philosophy and philosophy of mind.

How have images of Christ formed our faith and the ways in which we understand one another? How have pictures been used in our racial history? Why are images of Jesus so important? We invited Edward J. Blum to talk about some of these questions.

How has the “myth of the model minority” affected the lives and work of Asian-American women? How is the myth used in our society? Should white male theologians have to claim their context in the same way women and racial/ethnic minorities have? Do the ways in which theology is marketed contribute to an intellectual segregation? Please join us as Mihee Kim-Kort talks about these questions and about her book, Making Paper Cranes: Toward an Asian-American Feminist Theology.

Mihee Kim-Kort is a PC(USA) pastor and author who blogs regularly at miheekimkort.com. You can listen to the interview by clicking play below, or by downloading it on iTunes.

http://traffic.libsyn.com/gcr/Mihee_Kim-Kort.mp3

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After the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary, people of faith yearned to respond. The horror highlighted that many children live with fear of guns every day. How can we understand the impact that gun violence has on our country? What can we do to change this culture of violence? What are the greater political and systemic issues that we ought to be aware of?

Derrick and Carol invited J. Herbert Nelson to discuss these issues. J. Herbert started the Liberation Community Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Now he serves as Director of the Office of Public Witness for the Presbyterian Church (USA). And while you’re listening, we invite you to check out this petition, sign it, and distribute it.

You can listen to the interview by clicking the link below, or download the episode from iTunes.

Derrick and Carol talked with Hugh Hollowell about Love Wins, a ministry of presence and pastoral care with homeless men and women in Raleigh, North Carolina. Hugh tells us about his approach to ministry and explains that homelessness is, basically, a relationship issue.

Derrick Weston talks with MaryAnn McKibben Dana from the Blue Room about her book, Sabbath in the Suburbs. How do you practice Sabbath in this busy, stressed-out world? Is Sabbath just a luxury for those who don’t have kids? What if both parents are working? Does Sabbath make sense in our modern life? How does Sabbath help us to become more human? MaryAnn will explore what this ancient practice looks like in modern life.

Throughout this political season, the Bible has been used in our discourse. Should this be the case? When is the Bible helpful and when is it harmful in the public square?

Derrick asked Nyasha Junior, a scholar who teaches at Howard University’s Divinity School, to help us take a closer look at how it’s being used. Dr. Junior not only enlightens our perspective, but she gives church leaders helpful tools in how to lead Bible studies in light of current politics.

When you’re done listening to the podcast, you can learn more about Nyasha Junior at her website or Twitter feed.

And, what’s the worst political ad using biblical imagery? That honor goes to this three-and-a-half minutes of awesome:

Click the triangle below to listen to this episode, or you can download it from iTunes.

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